Fluorescent tube cleaner



Jan. 3o, 196s J, B, HUNT UAL 3,365,740

y @@/ZM ATTORNEYS' United States Patent O 3,365,740 FLUORESCENT TUBE CLEANER Joe B. Hunt and Nina E. Hunt, Scottsdale, Ariz., assignors to .loe B. Hunt, Nina E. Hunt, .llames Douglas, Scottsdale, Ariz., Hugh Douglas, Atherton, Calif., and John C. Robinson, Seattie, Wash., a joint venture Filed Aug. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 479,085 Claims. (Cl. 15-216) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLGSURE A cleaner is provided for uorescent tubes and the like comprising a pair of exible arms having pads secured thereto and extending outwardly in helical formation from a base portion which is mounted on a handle. When the arms are placed about a tube and the handle twisted, the arms grip the tube and the tube is wiped by the pads upon longitudinal movement of the cleaner along the tube.

This invention relates to the cleaning and dusting of uorescent tubes or the like and more particularly to a device for effecting such cleaning action.

The use of uorescent lighting fixtures is quite extensive, particularly in industrial and business usage. The problem of properly cleaning uorescent tubes is one which has not been solved in a satisfactory manner. Current cleaning procedures all involve the necessity of getting a person close enough to the tube that he may touch it by hand so as to remove the tube from the socket, clean it, and then replace it. This is a method which is hazardous in many instances and is time consuming and arduous when there are many tubes to clean. The need is great for some type of satisfactory cleaner as it has been proven that dirt and dust can cause a tube to lose from to 25 percent of its lumen output due entirely to the lm of such dirt which accumulates on the outside peripheral surface of the tube. Surveys conducted with respect to present methods for cleaning fluorescent tubes show that in many instances it has been considered more economical to simply remove all of the fluorescent tubes and replace them with new ones rather than to go to the expense of cleanling them. Very often this practice results in disposing of tubes that have many more months of life.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a device for cleaning fluorescent tubes and the like which permits the operator to effect the cleaning action without the necessity of removing the tube from its socket.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device for cleaning fluorescent tubes and the like which can be easily operated from a position remote from the fixture itself.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device for cleaning fluorescent tubes and the like.

which is simple in construction, effective in operation, and sutiiciently economical to manufacture as to provide disposable cleaning parts.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following detailed description and appended claims.

The invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein an illustrative embodiment is shown:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of a cleaning device embodying the principles of the present invention;

3,355,749 Patented Jan. 30, 1968 ICC FIGURE 2 is a side elevational View ofthe device showing the same in an intermediate position with respect to a fluorescent tube;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the device showing the same in a cleaning position with respect to a lluorescent tube;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a device, generally indicated at 1li for cleaning uorescent tubes and the like which embodies the principles of the present invention. In general, the device 10 includes a cleaning head, generally indicated at 12, which preferably is disposable, and a handle assembly, generally indicated at 14, which is detachabiy xedly connected with the cleaning head.

As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the cleaning head comprises a central base portion 16 and a pair of outwardly extending flexible arms 18 and 2i). As shown, the base portion is in the form of an annular part 22 having a tubular handle engaging part 24 extending downwardly therefrom. The flexible arms 18 and 20 are preferably of a thin, elongated rectangular configuration in cross-section as shown in FIGURE 5 and each extends outwardly of the base portion in helical formation. Preferably, a pair of triangular strengthening rib parts 26 are provided between the annular base part 22 and the adjacent portions of the arms 18 and 20, respectively. The entire cleaning head thus far described including the base portion and flexible arms 18 and 2t) is preferably made of a nonelectrically conductive material such as plastic or the like. A preferred material is high impact styrene, although other plastic materials may be utilized if desired. The cleaning head is preferably made in a one piece construction by an injection molding process.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the cleaning head 12 provides an interior surface 28 which is arcuate about an axis, designated by the numeral 30, perpendicular to and intersecting a line, designated by the numeral 32, coincident with the axis of the annular part 22 of the base portion 16. Provided on the interior surface 28 is a cleaning pad, generally indicated at 34. As best shown in FIGURE 5, the cleaning pad is preferably in the form of a piled fabric having a backing 35 and piles 38 extending outwardly therefrom of the order of inch. As shown, the cleaning pad 34 is secured to the surface 28 by a suitable adhesive of the type which is not attacked by commercial detergents or the like.

Any suitable means may be provided for connecting the tubular handle engaging part 24 of the base portion with the handle assembly 14. In the preferred embodiment shown, the handle assembly is made up of a plurality of handle sections 40 of substantially identical construction. As shown, each handle section at one end is provided with a socket 42 which tapers slightly inwardly, the peripheral wall forming the socket 42 having a pair of diametrically opposed rectangularly shaped recesses 44 formed in the end thereof. The opposite end of each handle section 40 is shaped to engage within the socket 42 and recesses 44 of the opposite end and, as shown, includes a reduced stern portion 46 tapered slightly in an inwardly diverging direction. At the inner end of the stem portion there is provided a pair of diametrically opposed rectangular shaped lugs 48 extending radially outwardly therefrom of a size to engage within the recesses 44.

In a like manner, the tubular handle engaging part of the cleaning head 12 is formed with a tapered surface similar to the stem 48 for engaging within the socket 42. Again, at the inner end of the tubular handle engaging part a pair of diametrically opposed lugs 50 are provided of a size to engage within the recesses 44.

Operation Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the cleaning head 12 of the present invention operated by first moving the same by the handle assembly into an intermediate position with respect to a fluorescent tube to be cleaned, generally indicated by the numeral 52, wherein the free end portions of the arms 18 and 20 are disposed on opposite sides of the tube 52. It will be understood that the free end portions of the arms are spaced apart in the direction of extent of the axis a distance sufficient to permit the tube to pass therebetween as is clearly shown in FIGURE 2. The cleaning head is moved from the intermediate position shown in FIGURE 2 into a cleaning position with respect to the tube 52 by a movement toward the tube in the direction of the line 32, which is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the handle assembly. In addition to the movement in the direction Vof the axis of the handle an additional twisting action or movement of the cleaning head about the line 32 as an axis must be effected. This combined longitudinal and turning movement (approximately 90) serves to engage the cleaning head on the uorescent tube 52 in the manner shown in FIGURE 3. It will be noted that the cleaning pad 34 is of a size to engage the peripheral surface of the tube and the extent of the arms and pad are preferably of the order of 360. As shown, the arcuate extent is somewhat greater than 360. For example, where the helical arms have a diameter of approximately 1% inches, the free end of each arm will extend nearly 1A inch past that point which forms a cornplete circle. After the cleaning head has been engaged on the tube in the cleaning position as shown in FIG- URE 3, the peripheral surface of the tube is cleaned by eiecting an axial movement of the cleaning head along the tube. In this regard, it will be noted that in the cleaning position the axis 30 of the arcuate surface 28 is substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the tube so that such axial movement of the cleaning head will effect a cleaning of the tube throughout its entire peripheral surface. It will be understood that the device is removed from the tube after the cleaning operation by reversing the movement of the cleaning head from the cleaning position into the intermediate position and then away from the tube.

The cleaning device of the present invention is thus quite simple in operation and has no moving parts which require manipulation in order to effect the cleaning action. The head can be constructed of light plastic and can be manufactured at very low cost. It is small in size and is arranged to be mounted on a light weight handle assembly which may be constructed of any nonelectrically conductive material, a preferred material being iiberglass. It is preferable that no metallic parts be embodied in the device so as to eliminate any danger of shock which might occur as a result of the cleaning head engaging exposed electrical wires and other electrical components. The exibility of the arms is of considerable significance not only in effecting a proper cleaning action but in providing a safety factor which would prevent accidental disengagement of the fluorescent tube from its socket. The free end portions of the arms are provided with suicient flexibility that a straight pull on the handleV of the tube rather than a disengagement of the tube from the xture.

The particular construction of the cleaning pad is also of importance in the device of the present invention. The piled fabric pad 34 described above is greatly preferred as it achieves an effective cleaning action without excessive frictional contact with the surface of the tube. Any suitable material may be used in the fibers which make up the pile fabric, a preferred material being a copolymer of vinyl chloride and acrylonitrile, (6G-40 Dynel), although other vinyl chloride copolymers may be used with advantage. Where the fibers are made of this material the pile is soft in texture, will take a moisture treatment, and will not leave a lint deposit on the tube. It does not need to be so wet as to cause dripping of moisture while in use and is effective to remove dust from tubes without moisture where necessary. Other synthetic and natural bers may be utilized where desired, such as lambs wool, nylon and polyethylene terephthalic.

It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing specific embodiment has been shown and described only for the purpose of illustrating'the principles of this invention and is subject to extensive change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

It is claimed:

1. A device for cleaning uorescent tubes or the like comprising a disposable cleaning head adapted to be detachably xedly connected with elongated handle means, said cleaning head including a base portion having means thereon for xedly engaging one end of an elongated handle means and a pair of exible arms extending outwardly from said base portion and terminating in spaced free end portions, said cleaning head providing interior surface means arcuate about an axis perpendicular to an intersecting line passing through said base portion, said interior surface means extending from the free end portion of one of said arms to the free end portion of the other of said arms for an arcuate distance of the order of 360, means provided on said interior surface means of a size to engage the periphery of a iiuorescent tube throughout an arcuate extent thereof of the order of 360 when said cleaning head is disposed in a cleaning position with said arcuate axis substantially coincident with the axis of the iiuorescent tube for cleaning the peripheral surface of the tube in response to axial movements of said cleaning head in said cleaning position with respect to the tube, the free end portions of said arms being spaced apart in the direction of said arcuate axis a distance sufHcient to permit said cleaning head to be moved into an intermediate position with respect to the fluorescent tube wherein the free end portions of said arms are disposed on opposite sides of the tube with said arcuate axis spaced from and disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of the tube, said arms being shaped to permit movement of said cleaning head between said intermediate position and said cleaning position by movements in the direction of said line and about said line as an axis.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said arms are of elongated iiat rectangular configuration in section and extend outwardly from said base portion in helical formation.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said base portion includes an annular part concentric'with said line and reinforcing rib parts between said annular part and said arms.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said cleaning means includes a piled fabric having a backing xedly secured to said interior surface means.

6 5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said piled 1,936,757 11/ 1933 Garvey. fabric has a pile height of approximately Vs inch. 3,267,507 g/1966 Cox References Cited CHARLES A. WELMUTH, Primm Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner.

1,633,382 6/192-7 Koester 15V-256.6 

